THE Green Party’s leader spelled out her plans for a “new kind of politics” as she launched the party’s election manifesto.

Natalie Bennett said the 2015 poll, on May 7, is a landmark election for the party with polls indicating a five-fold increase in support since 2010.

In launching the party’s manifesto in east London, Ms Bennett announced:

  • A pledge to raise the minimum wage to £10 an hour by 2020
  • The creation of one million “quality and stable” jobs paying the living wage, with many in the NHS and social care
  • A new 60 per cent rate of income tax for salaries above £150,000 n a ten per cent cut to public transport fares
  • Scrap university tuition fees

Ms Bennett said the party, which is fielding a record 571 candidates in the General Election, would bring an end to the Coalition Government’s austerity programme, crack down on tax avoidance and increase public spending by £177b by the end of the next Parliament.

Announcing a raft of new taxation proposals, she also said the party would introduce a “Robin Hood tax” on banks and a one to two per cent rate on people worth £3m or more.

Another item high on the party’s agenda is tackling climate change, with the party saying its plans to limit emissions and “fight for a fair global deal that secures humanity’s shared future” would create jobs and reduce energy bills.

Speaking at the launch she said: “At the heart of this manifesto is a vision of a fair economy.

“That fair economy demands the end to austerity. It demands we restore and enhance the essential public services we all but particularly the most vulnerable.

“That restoration of the public realm combined with investment in renewable energy and energy conservation, that can create one million quality, stable jobs.

“Rebuilding our public sector, 400,000 of those jobs are in the NHS and social care.

“That fair economy is paid for by the rebalancing that we so desperately need, to see multinational companies and rich individuals paying their fair share in taxes as they are simply not paying now.”

However the manifesto and in particular the Green Party’s economic policies were criticised by opponents.

UKIP’s Romsey and Southampton North candidate, Sandra James, said: “I think it’s a little bit woolly on how they would fund these things”, adding that she was concerned about the effect the 60 per cent income tax rate could have on the UK’s entrepreneurs.

Eastleigh Liberal Democrat candidate Mike Thornton said he was supportive of some green policies but said he found some of Greens’ economic policies “puzzling”, adding: “some of the economic policies don’t add up at all.”

Conservative Southampton Itchen candidate Royston Smith described it as an “unaffordable shopping list” adding: “The Greens have failed to understand the fundamental principle, you can’t have good public services without a strong, sustainable economy.”

Labour’s Southampton Itchen candidate Rowenna Davis said both Labour and the Greens understood “the need for change” but said a vote for Ms Bennett’s party would “let the Tories in by the back door.”